With little fanfare, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission on Jan. 17 unanimously approved a $1.3 million operating budget for the fiscal year starting July 1.

The budget represents a 4.3 per cent increase in spending over last year; town assessments will go up 3.5 per cent overall.

A majority of the commission’s income comes from the assessments, which are calculated using a formula based on equalized valuations.

Under the approved budget, Edgartown will pay the largest assessment at $274,203, while Chilmark will pay $129,269. Oak Bluffs will pay $124,419, Tisbury will pay $121,521, West Tisbury will pay $113,469, Aquinnah will pay $26,533 and Gosnold will pay $7,063.

The bulk of the commission’s budget goes toward salaries and benefits at $934,797, up 9.5 per cent over last year. Health and insurance disability costs will increase from $134,786 to $173,500, or around 25 per cent.

At the commission meeting last week, Ned Orleans of Tisbury, chairman of the commission’s finance subcommittee, said his group had been prepared to recommend a 4.4 per cent increase in town assessments.

But after further reflection and discussion, the group opted to further sharpen its pencils and trimmed another $6,500 from the budget in advertising, equipment and maintenance costs.

The draft version of the budget states that the commission had managed to keep the increase in its overall town assessments to within 2.5 per cent over the past two years.

“But this proved impossible this year because of certain uncontrollable expenses, notably increases in health insurance and pension contributions,” the draft states.

The budget as approved by the commission will now be sent to each town. If requested, a representative for the commission will meet with each town finance committee to explain the budget and answer questions.

Commission assessments are included in each town’s annual operating budget.